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Criminal Histories Are No Longer an Automatic Bar to Employment in Illinois Schools

Effective July 29, 2016, HB 4360 revised Illinois law to eliminate what was otherwise considered a lifetime ban on employment for those individuals seeking work in schools who had been convicted of certain non-violent drug offenses. Specifically, the revised law allows individuals convicted of certain drug offenses to regain the right to apply for jobs in Illinois schools after a period of seven years following the end of the sentence for the offense. Advocates of this amendment anticipate that the revised statute will increase job opportunities for people with criminal records who have paid their debt to society and are seeking gainful employment.